Archive for May, 2011

Who are you? I’m Vivian Zabel, who writes under the names Vivian Gilbert Zabel (because there are more Vivian Zabels, and one is in prison) and V. Gilbert Zabel. I’m married to the man of my life, and have been for over 49 years. We have three living children, 10 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren so far.

What do you write? I write about life, mystery, and love, often at least a little of each in every work. My first love is mystery, and I have some straight mystery novels. Stolen includes mystery and suspense, but it’s more a tragedy.

My writings come to me without any searching on my part. Poetry or plot ideas awaken me and won’t allow me to go back to sleep until I get up and write them down – that’s why a pad and pen are by my bed.

I’ve written professionally since in my 20s. However, until I retired from teaching 10 years ago, I had only poetry, short stories, and articles published. Since retirement, I’ve collaborated with a book of poetry and a book of short stories. I have 5 other books out by me, all by myself.

Where do you live, and what does your work space look like?I live in the central part of Oklahoma. I turned a small bedroom into an office, and it’s full of computer, printers, file cabinets, and books everywhere.

When do you generally write? Do you have a regimen? I write some every day. Since I’m also the head of a small publishing company (a traditional one, not one that charges authors to produce a book), I don’t have much time to write as I’d wish.

How do you write? Do you outline? Or fly by the seat of your pants? Do you like silence or rock out to a certain soundtrack? Before I put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, the story is running like a movie in my head. Sometimes I like silence; others the TV may be providing background noise. During the Christmas season, I have carols playing.

Got anything to brag about? (Awards? Upcoming releases?) Stolen hasn’t won any awards, at least yet, but my mystery/suspense novel Midnight Hours has won a couple.

What are you working on at the moment? Tell us what it is and why you think it’s gonna be a “gotta have” k? One thing I’m working on is the sequel to Stolen, titled Betrayed. What happens if and when abducted children return home to discover that life didn’t stand still while they were gone?

Tell us how to find you and your stuff. (All your website and blog links)

Tune in here, folks for a fantastic line-up of mystery writer appearances. All summer long, some of your favorite authors, and maybe some unknown ones, will appear here, tell a little about their lives and how they approach writing mysteries, and generally touch bases with those interested in writing in general.

From mystery, I learned a lot about the need for a goal in a story, and the definite need for the goal to be achieved. Stories in any genre that miss this key element will likely flop (perhaps against the wall) when the reader realizes nothing really progressed in the story writing.